Live bolt systems for doors can be damaged when an operator tries to close the door with the live bolts extended. In safes, this can occur after the safe door has been opened and the handle of the safe is accidentally bumped or turned, extending the live bolts. In some cases, damage is done to other components of the door or even to the safe itself. Repair or replacement of the damaged parts can be costly and may result in a period during which the safe cannot be used. Thus, there is a need for a live bolt system that will not extend the live bolts as a result of accidental bumping or unintentional turning of a safe door handle.
Latching systems exist in the prior art, but suffer from disadvantages that need to be overcome. Many systems, such as gravity-biased live bolt systems, involve a long series of cams, bars, and levers, creating a relatively high risk of failure as a result of the large number of parts involved. In addition, the large number of parts increases the cost of such systems. A need therefore exists for a lower cost latching system with fewer parts to reduce the risk of failure.
Other systems, such as some spring-biased systems, are simpler, but have other problems. While fewer parts are used, these systems still use more parts than necessary, resulting in higher system cost and complexity. Additionally, accidental latch release is likely as a result of actuator placement and design. If the actuator is changed to prevent accidental release, then the door becomes difficult to close. Therefore, a need exists for a simpler, lower cost latching system that is more secure against accidental release, but does not inhibit closing of the door.